OPINION: Rising Tide: Sea-level rise affects the Keys now. It's not an "in-the-future" phenomenon
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Material Information

Title:
OPINION: Rising Tide: Sea-level rise affects the Keys now. It's not an "in-the-future" phenomenon
Series Title:
The Sun Sentinel
Creator:
Neugent, George
Publication Date:
Language:
English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Climate Change ( lcsh )
Sea Level Rise ( lcsh )
Tidal waters ( lcsh )
Florida ( lcsh )
Florida Keys (Fla.) ( lcsh )

Notes

Summary:
Let me start by saying that I'm not trying to take a Chicken Little approach by saying the sky is falling. However, as an elected official and a longtime resident of the Florida Keys, I think we have to take the issue of climate change seriously and do our utmost to address it. Sea level rise is a very real concern in many parts of the Keys. It impacts us particularly during high tide events when water tables are elevated and surface water has nowhere to go. While we're seeing this particular impact of climate change throughout Monroe County, this problem is by no means restricted to the Keys. Other low lying areas of South Florida are beginning to see such problems, and it's an issue that we're going to have to deal with in the future. Yes, there is a lot of discussion as to the validity of climate change and sea level rise, but I am convinced that the Earth is warming, and that greenhouse gas emissions are exacerbating the situation. Most folks, if it's not something that's impacting them directly, take an approach that I'm not going to worry about it. Certainly we have skeptics here. It's a subject that's put on the backburner by many, and there are those who take a position that it's not happening at all. As elected officials, we don't have that luxury. Let us take you on a tour and show you where rising sea levels, even at minimal degrees, are taking a toll in the form of ever higher tides and frequent storm surges. Read on, and I'll show you why we're at risk as time passes and the seas continue to rise. ( English )

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
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